One Chance
by LOTSlover
Summary: Another first person perspectives fic based on the episode Torn, this is Richard and Kahlan's perspective of their one night together.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE****:** One Chance (Perspectives/Torn)

**AUTHOR****: **LOTSlove®

**CHARACTERS****: **Richard / Kahlan

**RATING****: **R / M

**TIMELINE****: **Anything up through S2 season finale (Tears)

**STORY TYPE****:** Angst / Romance / Adventure

**SPOILERS****: **Anything from Seasons 1 & 2

**DISCLAIMER****:** I love them and love to write about them even though I don't own them or make a dime.

**SUMMARY****: **Another first person perspectives fic based on the episode Torn, this is Richard and Kahlan's perspective of their one night together.

**One Chance : The Mother Confessor (Part I)**

The events of the day play out over and over again in my mind as I consider the situation I now find myself in. Staring into the flames of the campfire, I still find it difficult to comprehend that I am a Confessor without magic, a woman like every other woman in the world.

I close my eyes and attempt to find that magical force that is always coiled so tightly within my belly and I find that familiar piece that has been a part of me all of my life is still missing. It is unnerving to say the least as I try to decide how I really feel about it.

My powers have been my gift, my heritage, my nemesis and my greatest source of grief. I know no other way of life than what I have lived, what I have been taught. It wasn't until I met Richard Cypher that I realized that there was something more, something that I was missing…something that I so desperately wanted more than anything in my life.

Love.

And not just any love and certainly not the love of a confessed mate, but the love given of a man's free will. Richard's love.

With a sigh of resignation, I finally move to my bedroll, wrapping my blanket around my shoulders as I attempt to settle in for the night but I already know that my mind will not rest, not with all of the thoughts that have consumed it since the amulet split in two.

I am a woman and a Confessor and the two have never been considered separate, but always one. The Confessor in me puts responsibility and duty before my desires and wants. The woman in me wants Richard Cypher, wants to know his touch, to experience the passion I see simmering in his eyes when he looks at me and I am reminded once more that I no longer possess my magic.

Lying awake under the black canvas that is littered with countless stars, I can't help but think that those tiny flickering lights are blinking their encouragement for the thoughts storming in my mind, thoughts that have plagued me for the last eighteen months.

They are thoughts and feelings that should have long ago been abolished but my heart wouldn't allow it. Instead, my heart betrayed me in a way, nourishing and protecting those precious feelings, allowing them to grow and intensify until I was powerless against it. Against him.

I've been hanging by a very thin thread of control for so long and now that my Confessor's powers are no longer a part of me, I feel that last thread snap within me and it suddenly takes my breath away as realization washes over me.

I suddenly feel reborn as thoughts and emotions long ago deemed forbidden begin pounding through my body, taking control of me and I relish the feeling.

While consumed with worry and fears about the missing piece that used to dwell inside of me, a sudden awakening thrives in its place, desire that has always simmered in my very core unexpectedly breaking free as I glance at him as he sleeps so peacefully.

I bite my bottom lip in nervous hesitation, my fingers gripping my green blanket tighter as I fight the sudden desire that is quickly becoming all-consuming and again I find myself powerless against it.

Me. Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, ruling authority of the entire Midlands powerless against something so innocent, so pure as love.

I close my eyes, attempting to shove aside that wonderful fantasy that has been doomed since the day we met, but always kept so alive in my Seeker's heart.

But sleep will not come. Not now. Not after beginning down that path of no return. And there will be no going back.

Not tonight.

My eyes open and immediately fall upon the one that my heart beats for. This is it. It's now or never. The only chance that we might ever have to know each other in such an intimate way that we've both wanted for what seems like an eternity.

And I can't deny him. Not now. Not after having denied him myself for so very long, only allowing a chaste kiss here, a hug or a squeeze of the hand there. I'm the only one standing between us being together as one forever. Me and my damned magic.

But now…now there is no longer anything keeping us from what we so desperately want – each other.

If we succumb to our passions tonight then maybe, just maybe I can bear to look at him without the heavy ache in my heart that nearly drops me to my knees every time that I see the desire blazing so brightly in his eyes for me.

The agonizing pain of not having him wars fiercely with the pain of denying him and again my heart breaks all over again for the thousandth time.

But if we make love and I become with child what then? Would I jeopardize the mission? Richard would become distracted with worry over me, over trying to keep me and our baby safe that it would become even more dangerous for him than it already is.

Our baby.

It has been something that has haunted my dreams and my desires for as long as I can remember, adding to my heartache and widening the gaping abyss that separates me from the man that I love.

While he swears that he will be with me forever despite not being able to make love to me, I cannot bear the thought of never being able to give myself to him in that most precious, most intimate of ways, denying him the child that I know he wants.

One chance.

This could be our chance, my chance to give him what we've both dreamed about for what feels like a lifetime. Once the quest is over and the rift is sealed, we could finally be a family, not in the most traditional sense as far as husband and wife are concerned, but we'd still be a family none the less – Richard, me…our baby.

I don't know why I'm arguing with myself, fighting against what I know in my heart that I've already committed myself to doing.

One chance.

That is all that I have. My one chance to know true love, to feel what's it like to feel his body over mine, what it is like to be in the arms of the man that I love with my whole being, to feel his flesh hard like steel moving inside of me and over me as he takes me with the heated passion that I get just the briefest glimpse of when he looks at me with those eyes.

One chance.

I'm going to risk it for my heart will allow me to do no less than this.

Sitting up with bated breath, the blanket falls from my shoulders. With trembling fingers, I reach out to touch him in the stillness of the night, softly calling out to him despite Cara's presence and the curious feel her eyes on me.

I swallow hard, saying his name once more. His name is so sweet on my tongue as it leaves my lips and I tingle in expectation knowing that tasting him will be even sweeter than his name, than my dreams.

I know to my very core that this is right.

Richard awakens, his eyes clouded with sleep as well as concern. He immediately asks if I'm alright and it brings a soft smile of reassurance to my lips. His constant concern for me always makes me feel so safe when I am with him.

I attempt to ease his worry, telling him that I'm fine when in reality I'm far from it. I need him, need him more than I can possibly bear, my desperation rising within me. My burning hunger to run my mouth and hands over his body gives me the courage to go on, telling him some feeble excuse about needing to talk to him alone.

He stares at me with those warm brown eyes that see directly into my soul. He knows me better than I know myself and I feel arousal settling like a warm flood in the center of my pelvis.

I know that he's not entirely convinced that I'm alright by the way that he looks at me, but he comes willingly.

He always comes.

He helps me to my feet and I feel his hand on the small of my back as he tells Cara that we're going for a walk.

We walk in silence for several moments, my heart pounding so wildly beneath my breast that I'm certain that he must be able to hear it, must know what I want to talk to him about. It seems so obvious to me what I'm thinking. I'm surprised that he hasn't been thinking of it too.

But my Richard is so noble, so honorable that he would never think to tarnish the image of the Mother Confessor in such a way, wanting to wait until we were wed. But that is not an option. Not with me.

This is our only chance to share the passion that has been smoldering in our blood since the day we met. There is no more waiting, no more interference, no Zedd. For once, I'm putting what I want first, quest be damned, because we deserve this more than any two people on the face of the earth.

We enter a clearing, the moon shining so brightly in the sky that it casts the most ethereal yellow glow I have ever seen. Richard comes to a stop and turns to face me and I feel a shiver of excitement tingle down my spine.

I draw a deep breath and know that it is now or never. I feel such a nervous fluttering in the pit of my stomach as he stares so intently at me. Spirits, I have no reason to be so nervous, not with my Seeker.

I tell him that I couldn't sleep and I almost fumble over my words as I remind him that I don't have my powers and might never get them back. I tilt my head, brushing my hair over my shoulder as I try my best to form coherent words but the way he looks at me and the love thrumming through my veins along with what I want to say all becomes a jumbled thing inside my mind.

I finally tell him that this could be our only chance.

One chance.

I watch as his breath visibly catches with my words, realization suddenly sweeping through him and I stand so amazed before him that he hadn't been thinking of making love with me since the moment I had lost my powers.

It was obvious by the stunned look on his face that his utmost concern had been with me, making sure I was safe, that I got my powers back. His needs, his desires, his wants were all shoved aside for me just like he had always done. For me.

I'm almost hurt that he hadn't considered it after discovering that I had lost my magical abilities. I thought that he would have wanted to, but the sudden change in his face washes away those concerning feelings.

His brown eyes darken in that instant, narrowing into the intent raptor gaze that makes my blood flow like liquid flames except that that heated gaze is not for the enemy, but for me. All for me. His passion, his love, his body, his all is for me.

The thoughts and emotions that are suddenly racing through his mind become clear by the expression of unadulterated want that veils his face. My knees grow weak with the mounting need that makes the air almost crackle around us from the intensity and we have yet to even touch.

He asks me if I'm saying…but he is unable to finish his words as well. His breathing is already becoming labored as I tell him yes…if he wants to.

And our only chance swiftly turns into our most passionate moment…


	2. Chapter 2

**One Chance : The Mother Confessor (Part II)**

In that instant, his hands are on my face, taking hold of me with all of the pent up passion and sexual tension that has been escalating for months now. His lips crash into mine and my blanket is quickly forgotten as he kisses me with all that he holds in his heart for me, causing us to take a step back.

The sheer force of this man's love literally takes my breath away and I know that this is what I have always wanted…he is what I have always wanted.

His tongue is suddenly prodding my lips, seeking entrance and I cannot deny him. Not tonight. Tonight he can have every part of me as many times as he wishes without fear of being confessed. And I blissfully give him all of me – all that I am, all that I will be, all that I hold inside for him.

The sensation of his tongue in my mouth, exploring all that is his to explore causes me to release a throaty moan. He caresses my mouth in a way he has never before been free to do, expressing what he feels.

I feel wetness pool in excited anticipation for him, for what I so desperately want as he draws me even closer. The need for air is only superseded by my overwhelming need for him to take me. His need to breathe, though, causes him to pull back, sucking in large gulps of air only to crash into my mouth once more.

He buries his hands in my hair, his fingers keeping me close to him as if he is afraid that this is all a dream and that I will vanish if he lets go. His sweet desperation causes the flames inside of me to burn even hotter and I give myself completely over to him, trusting him wholly with my heart.

My fingers find the opening of his shirt, my nails raking over his chiseled flesh before finding his nipples and he groans deeply, causing him to pause in his quest to devour me with his mouth. The way he responds so hungrily to my touch causes my blood to pound furiously through my veins so I do it again and he almost comes undone right there.

Before I know it, he pulls my hand from inside of his shirt, whispering something in my ear, but his breath pulsing so hotly against my flesh causes my head to spin and I gasp in response. His hands are all over me, here and there and before I can comprehend it, his fingers are releasing me from my jacket.

I shrug off the offending material before pulling his shirt free from his pants. His fingers are already caressing me through my corset and my breath is coming out in constant gasps and moans in anticipation for where his mouth soon will be.

I pull his shirt up over his head and he pauses long enough for me to remove it, quickly tossing it to the side with such urgent need. This is not the time for tenderness or gentleness. Not now. Not with our only chance to finally be released from the imprisonment our bodies have been sentenced to because of my magic, a punishment neither of us asked for but have had to live with for so painfully long now.

Our mouths reconnect for a moment before he begins to blaze an amazing trail of hot wet kisses along my jaw and down my throat, his hands gripping my bottom and pulling me into him. I feel his hardness through the thin material that separates us and I tilt my head back in ecstasy for what is about to take place between us. A throaty moan once again escapes my lips as the pulsing ache between my thighs continues to build to almost unbearable levels.

If this is just the beginning, I can't begin to imagine the pure rapture that awaits us.

And I don't have to wonder if he wants this, wants me because he suddenly pulls back, molten desire blazing in his eyes, a smile spreading across his lips as he pulls me where my blanket has fallen.

Spreading it out, he pulls me into a heated kiss again, his tongue immediately filling my mouth as he lays me down, following me with his lips and hands. His knee nudges my legs apart and I feel even more wetness pooling there.

My hands are in his hair, twisting the long strands in my fingers and it urges him on. His rough hand is suddenly on my thigh, his fingers caressing my flesh and pulling my leg up and I involuntarily tremble in response as he sets my body on fire all over again.

His panting breath is hot against my skin and I know that I will never be able to get enough of this man showing me such passion, such love beyond anything I could have ever imagined or dreamed. If I don't feel his hardened length deep inside of me where I so desperately want him, I'm certain that I'll burst.

But then his lips are on my neck again and my head is spinning wildly, my breath hard to catch as his lips begin to graze against the soft cups of my corset. I curse under my breath, wishing that he would remove the interfering material.

As if reading my mind, he buries a hand in my hair, his lips suddenly on mine as his other hand works the laces of the only thing that is keeping my breasts from being pressed against his hardened chest. So consumed by him, I don't even feel the corset slipping from my body.

His lips leave mine and I sigh in disappointment until his mouth finds my now exposed breast and my heart stutters in my chest.

The feel of his wet tongue, his warm mouth covering my breast almost sends me over the edge. I never knew love could feel like this, so intense, so passionate as my body quivers beneath his touch. I feel as if I am a puddle as he squeezes and caresses my breast with his hand, his mouth still teasing the other.

I greedily arch my back, desperate to get more from him. I need more…I need him as I begin to writhe beneath him and he has yet to even touch me where I need him the most. My head tilts back, my mouth hanging open in awe of the rapturous sensations my Seeker is creating within me and I'm quickly losing all sense of control.

I want to be able to give to him too, show him what has been living and smoldering inside me for so long, but he won't allow me to take control. With his eyes and his mouth he tells me that this is all about me, all for me and I collapse back onto the ground, surrendering to his passionate touch.

My hands find his back, my nails raking across his flesh and he buries his face into my breasts, his teeth and tongue nipping and caressing me. A cross between a growl and a groan is released from his lips as I grab his bottom, pulling him even closer to me and I know he has to know how wet I am even with his breeches and my skirt still separating us.

I can feel his hardness pressing into me and I moan in response as he grows larger and harder with every moment spent with me. And it makes me smile inside knowing that I can bring out such a heated reaction in him. Having never been with a man before, I feel such relief that he finds me so pleasing, so desirable.

His hands slip beneath the waist of my skirt and I raise my hips in response, so frantic to feel his flesh pressed against mine. My hands find the laces of his pants and I work feverishly to untie them as he slips my skirt and undershorts from my body.

I don't have time to be nervous about being exposed before him or to worry if he finds my body arousing to him. His mouth and tongue are blazing trails all over my skin where no man as ever touched and will never touch again except for him if I had my way. I feel his teeth marking me as his and it fills me with indescribable joy to belong to him alone.

My hand slips inside of his breeches and for the first time I come in contact with him in a way that I have only been able to dream about. His breath hitches as I grasp hold of him, his hand falling back, a look of sheer ecstasy on his face and I know that I must be doing something right as I lean up and nip at his exposed neck.

He growls low in his throat as his lips crash forcefully into mine, almost bruising me but it only adds to the intensity of our passion that is now exploding around us like fireworks as I use my feet to push his breeches off of his body.

My hand begins to stroke him and he moans a sound that is akin to dying. I suddenly feel my own arousal flaming hotter than ever thought possible with the sheer pleasure of being able to love him like this, showing him how much he truly means to me for he is my whole world.

He pulls my hand free from him and he slowly shakes his head back and forth as he attempts to recover, brushing his nose against mine, telling me without words that it is too much stimulation right now. He kisses a trail along my jaw as his hand travels down my body, skimming my side and dancing over my thigh.

I shiver in anticipation as his hand draws ever closer to my molten center. And then his fingers are on me, stroking me and loving me in a way that is indescribable, my mind going numb from the pure heated arousal that is flooding my brain and my body.

My head falls from side to side, my eyes rolling back in my head as I writhe again beneath him, my legs falling further open, welcoming him to explore me with all that he is. My hands grip his back, desperately trying to hold on for fear of falling over the edge without him.

His breath brushes against my ear and he whispers that he won't let me fall without him. I nod numbly in response, my mind unable to work as my body responds involuntarily to his every touch, his every kiss, his every stroke.

I am no longer in control as his fingers leave me and I feel something hard brush against my wet center. Our moment has come, our one chance to be joined as one body, one heart forever and I feel tears sting my eyes in sweet anticipation.

I want to close my eyes and give in to the sensations overwhelming me, but I can't take my eyes off of him, his heated gaze penetrating straight through me as he stares into my eyes, his other hand tenderly caressing the side of my face and I know the significance of this moment is not lost on either of us.

And then I feel him as he breaks through my barrier and I gasp as he takes my breath away along with my purity. I am so thrilled to be giving it to him and him alone, so willingly giving him what I have protected and kept as my own despite the pressure to take a mate.

Deep down, I knew that I had been saving it for Richard all along despite my magic, despite the odds against us. I never wanted to give myself to anyone else but my Seeker.

He so lovingly pauses as he pushes further into me, staring into my face for signs of pain as he caresses my cheek. The overwhelming need to thrust deeper is so evident in his face as he waits for me to adjust to his intrusion.

A dull pain erupts between my legs, but it is heaven that Richard is the one creating it. As the pain begins to diminish to a dull throb, I instinctively lean up and capture his lips with mine, raising my hips and pulling him in even deeper.

He immediately responds with a soft grunt as he thrusts into me, momentarily burying his face in the crook of my neck and I finally feel complete, the missing piece of me filling me up at last.

I stroke his neck, my fingers tracing his muscled back as he gathers himself from the overwhelming sensations that have gripped him as well.

He is hard as steel, soft as velvet. He is both fierce in his passion as he is equally tender in his touch.

And then suddenly he is moving within me, slow steady thrusts that I know are only going to build in intensity. My toes start to curl in expectation as I fight to keep some semblance of control, wanting to make this experience last as long as humanly possible for I have wanted this…wanted him for so very long.

But it's him, it's my Seeker, my Richard and how I can I possibly hold on for long when this is all that I have ever wanted. I begin to move with him as his hand strokes my thigh, his other hand kneading my breast and it is all I can do not to fall apart beneath him.

Sparks of passion fire rapidly in my brain before cascading over my body, my heart hammering so wildly in my chest I'm afraid it'll burst. His moist flesh glides over mine as we give ourselves over to the pleasure of finally loving one another, the friction it creates making me feel so alive.

His name becomes a moaning chant on my lips as I grind against him, arching my back and tilting my head. The feel of him driving harder and faster within me sends me soaring higher and higher and the only sounds are the sounds of our panting breath and the moans of sheer ecstasy.

My vision is suddenly flooded with all the stars shining brightly overhead. I pray to the spirits, begging them to not let this be a dream as his thrusts continue to grow harder and faster and deeper.

He unexpectedly buries his face once more in the crook of my neck and I know that he is as close to coming undone as I am.

Fully giving myself to him along with the realization of what we were finally sharing pushes me over the precipice of rapture as he thrusts so deep within my core it causes my toes to curl, my one hand falling limply to my side only to clutch the blanket tightly in my grip.

I scream his name with the intensity of the release, my vision tunneling despite the absence of my powers and it is all I can do not to black out. I feel him release within me as my name fills my ears, a warm rush of fluid given and received in love fills my depths and my heart clings to the hope of a child forming at that very moment.

And then I'm suddenly falling and falling only to be caught in the arms of the man I love with my whole being as I ride the waves of bliss rippling through my body along with him.

He collapses in exhausted release on top of me and I cradle his trembling body so lovingly in my arms. I am stunned by how vulnerable the mighty Seeker suddenly seems and it touches my heart that I am able to protect him in that intimate moment, holding him close as he recovers.

After several moments of savoring our fierce hold on one another, Richard pulls back, peppering my lips and my face with sweet, tender kisses as our breathing begins to even out and I have never felt more loved or alive than I do at this moment.

Not even the sheer love and devotion seen in the faces of the men I have confessed could ever come close to comparing to the look in my lover's eyes now.

My lover. Not just my Seeker, my best friend, my Richard…but now my lover.

"I love you, Kahlan."

He whispers words that are music to my ears causing my heart to suddenly soar once more and I tell him how much I truly love him, tears filling my eyes. He asks me what's wrong, if he hurt me as his face is flooded with worry, his hand cupping my cheek.

I shake my head no, whispering that I love him so much. He smiles softly down at me, brushing my tears from my face before rolling over and pulling me on top of him. He holds me even closer, kissing the top of my head and I smile against his chest as I kiss him in return.

If this was our only chance, then I could die happy knowing that I had taken the chance to love him. But if given the chance to regain my magic or keep Richard, I would keep Richard every time.

I hope now that I never get my magic back. Maybe I'll be able to talk Richard into forgetting this senseless quest, to just run away with me to live the life that we have both dreamed about for so long.

In the morning…in the morning, I will take the chance to convince him to leave with me…


	3. Chapter 3

**One Chance: The Seeker (Part I)**

It's a beautiful evening as I pause to stare at the starry night sky, the moon a brightly glowing ball overhead, but my heart is too heavy with concern for the woman I love to really care, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts as I try to discover how Kahlan has lost her Confessor's magic.

Despite her amazing ability in battle and her powerful magic, I always try to keep an eye on her when we're in the middle of a fight, constantly filled with fear for her. I hate that she is always put in such danger. Thrusting with my sword, I saw her grip the man's throat and I turned to face the next victim of my blade, trusting her magic to keep her safe.

Except this time, it didn't. It failed her and I watched again in horror as the man lunged at her, his knife at her throat. I still thank the spirits that I got to her in time. If he had slit her throat, not even Cara and the breath of life would have been able to bring my beloved back to me.

I feel a shudder ripple through me at the thought as I swallow back the fear that has suddenly returned. We were both shaken after that, me for almost losing her, her for the inexplicable loss of her magic.

I can't even begin to imagine losing something that has been a part of you since the day you were born. It has left her so lost and confused, so unlike the strong confident Kahlan that I have known for the last year and a half. It hurts me to see her like that and I feel so powerless, but I will do everything I can to help her through it.

Her magic is such an important part of her make-up, a part of who she is. It's what defines her and makes her so special. Even without her powers, though, Kahlan is still the most special person I have ever met. There's just something about her that is so arresting, capturing my attention and stealing my heart.

Reaching down to gather more firewood, I am consumed with thoughts of her which is no different than any other day, but this time my thoughts are filled with more worry and confusion with how she could have lost her magic.

I'm filled with fear that something worse could be happening to her, something that we have yet to consider, something beyond just the loss of her magical abilities.

What if this is just the beginning of something more?

Fear is now my constant companion since discovering her powers missing. I don't know much about magic except what I have learned from Zedd and Kahlan and the things that I've experienced since being named Seeker, but I have a horrifying feeling that something terrible is happening to her, more than I can possibly imagine.

I want so much to just hold her, protect her from all harm. I want to kiss her and never let her go. I want to marry her and make her mine forever, but I have to discover what is going on with her, why she lost her magic and find a way to get it back for her.

Not until I have sealed the rift and defeated the Keeper will she and the world truly be safe and only then can I focus on what I want more than anything in this world – making a life with the woman who holds my heart.

I never knew there was a piece of myself missing until I met her. I looked into those sapphire eyes that day in Hartland and I suddenly knew…I just knew with my whole being that I was finally complete and I never wanted to be separated from her ever again.

Kneeling down to start the fire, my gaze constantly wanders to her as she sits on a log, her green blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She's watching me as I work, but not really seeing me as she stares ahead of her, lost in her own troubled thoughts.

There is something a little different about her, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. She is still my Kahlan, always will be no matter how this turns out. No matter what happens my love for her will never change, only growing and intensifying more than I ever dreamed was possible for a person to love someone.

But there is something different. I'm not sure if it's the light that is suddenly gone from her eyes or if it's just her attempts to deal with what has happened to her, but she has lost something, something more than just her magic.

It seems as if she has lost a piece of herself along with her Confessor's touch. There's a fire that is no longer there, a fierceness that has been sucked out of her. I have never seen her look so fragile, so vulnerable, so helpless. It's so unlike my Confessor, my Kahlan and it's unnerving to witness.

She is the strongest woman I have ever met, stronger even in some ways than Cara. It is something that is difficult to define other than it's what is so unique to her alone.

Kahlan is utter perfection, the seamless balance between strength and grace. She is leather and lace, silk and sand, velvet and steel. She can fight like the most hardened soldier, killing with deadly precision and yet show the utmost compassion and mercy, bringing joy to every life that she touches.

She is all warrior and yet all woman…except now there is more of a softness to her than I have ever seen before and I don't know how to explain it. It neither makes me love her more nor less. It's just not quite my same Kahlan.

I see the powerless look in her sad eyes and I feel my heart breaking a little more for her as my resolve hardens to make the woman I love whole again. She deserves my best effort and that is what I will always give her – my all and nothing less.

I check on her once more before going to sleep. She attempts to reassure me with a soft smile that she is fine, but it only makes me worry all the more about her. I love her for wanting to make me feel better despite the torment I know that she feels inside.

She is my broken Confessor and I will do everything in my power to heal her.

Lying down on my bedroll, I sigh in resignation, wanting nothing more than to have Kahlan lying against me, my arms wrapped protectively around her, but I know that she needs her space right now, needs time to process what has happened to her.

While we have been sleeping closer to one another, we have yet to allow ourselves the painful luxury of sleeping in one another's embrace. I want so desperately to hold her in my arms as we sleep, but I know how difficult it is for her, how terrified she is of confessing me in my sleep so I don't push her.

I do not fear her or her magic. I have never been afraid of her. I feel in my heart that my love for her will protect me from her magic but I have yet to mention that belief to her, knowing that she would not accept it because of her fears and so I patiently wait for her.

She knows that I am always here for her if she needs me, but a part of me is feeling selfish because I need her now as well. I need to know that she is safe, that this isn't the start of something worse happening to her, that she is still going to be my Kahlan when I wake in the morning.

I need to feel her body, feel her heart beating against my chest, the steady pulsing of her breath against my neck. Then and only then will I be able to relax, then I will feel a measure of reassurance that she is alright for the moment.

Fatigue from the day soon sneaks upon me and I feel my body giving into the pull of sleep despite my best efforts to stay awake in case Kahlan needs something.

I drift off to sleep and my mind is consumed with the same erotic dream that visits me every night. It is a dream that always involves my Confessor. She comes to me in the still of the night, her hand gently caressing my face, drawing me from my sleep, her lips finding mine and I completely surrender to her every night.

I give and she takes as we explore one another. She rolls us over and I am the one taking and she the one giving and if this is my demise I would gladly succumb to this blissful death in her embrace as we finally release together, falling off that cliff into the rapture that encompasses us.

And every night I wake a heaving shaking mess, sweat on my brow and a painful throbbing in my breeches that begs for release…release with her and only her.

Tonight, though, I am kissing her in my dream, my hands caressing the softness of her breast, my hand tangled in her hair as I'm about to enter her warmth and I suddenly hear my name.

It's Kahlan.

Or is it my dream?

I hear my name again and I know that it is not my dream, but it's my Kahlan. I awake with fear in my throat and pain in my heart for what I can only have in my dreams.

I immediately ask her what's wrong as I gaze into those sad eyes except this time there is something there in those blue orbs that was not there when I went to sleep, something that causes my pulse to quicken.

Hope.

She tells me that she is fine even though I know that she is far from it. She tells me she needs to talk to me alone as she casts a nervous glance at Cara standing guard. I know there is something more, I see it in her eyes, but I don't push her.

Instead I help her to her feet, my hand on her back as I guide her to the woods that surround us. We walk in silence for several moments, my mind a tempest of worries and concerns over what could be wrong with her now.

She seems almost nervous about something, but appears to be unhurt as we enter a small clearing. The moon is shining so brightly that it casts a glowing halo around her and I suddenly forget how to breathe.

She takes a deep breath and I'm puzzled by her behavior as she almost stumbles over her words. It's so unlike her to be anxious around me. She begins to speak about her magic and that she might get it back tomorrow or maybe never and I feel my resolve hardening even more in my soul that I will do everything I can to give her back that missing part of who she is.

But then she tilts her head and brushing her hair aside and all I can think of is how desperately I want to kiss her right now. I silently scold myself for thinking such selfish thoughts when she is not herself.

And then I gaze into her eyes that are now the darkest shade of blue that I have ever seen as she says the words that I never thought I would ever hear.

This could be our only chance.

Only chance.

The words echo in my mind and I feel a flutter in the pit of my stomach at the very thought. She has just stolen the very air from my lungs with her words, with the intense want that is shining so vividly in her eyes.

Want for me, her Seeker, and I feel a rush of heated arousal begin to pound through my body.

I begin to speak, asking her if she is saying what I think she is saying, but I am unable to finish the words as my mind begins to spin with the thought of finally being freed from the tormenting dream that haunts me every night, of at last giving her what I have been so desperate to give her – my love, my life, my body, my all.

I can hardly breathe for want of her as my answer is given by taking her beautiful face in my hands and kissing her with all the love that fills my soul…


	4. Chapter 4

**One Chance: The Seeker (Part II)**

In that instant, I am kissing her with all that I am, pouring my heart into that sweet moment. I feel such desperation unexpectedly growing within me for Kahlan to truly know what I feel inside for her, to know that it is so very real, so very deep.

This is not just some infatuation with her or a fleeting crush I know will never last. This is so much more, so hard to define and suddenly the words "I love you" seem so inferior when compared to what beats in my heart for her.

Our kiss is so intense that we almost stumble backwards and there is such an urgency that is mounting within me that it fights to take control. My mouth begs for entrance and she readily complies. My tongue immediately enters her mouth, stroking the roof and her taste is so intoxicating it makes my head spin, my pulse quicken.

I could so easily drown myself in this woman's love as my hands hungrily roam her bottom to her bottom, gripping her firmly and causing her to moan as I pull her firmly against me. And the sound of her moan as I fill her mouth causes an intense rush of arousal to surge through my veins.

The need to breathe causes me to reluctantly pull back when all I want to do is kiss her like this forever. I gulp in air and swiftly crush my lips against hers, meeting in a searing open-mouthed kiss.

And the need to feel and taste more of her is so overpowering it makes me tingle all over with want.

Her lips are soft, sweet like honey and I worship her with my tongue and my lips as I bury my hands in her thick luscious hair. Her tongue begins to do battle with mine and I cannot fight the moan that slips past our lips as her tongue suddenly finds my mouth.

I fear that this could all be a dream, that I will wake to find myself in that heaving trembling mess that I become every time that erotic dream visits me in the middle of the night.

But this…this is so real, so intense that it almost brings me to my knees. And this is our one chance to share what we've been barely able to keep buried, what we've sworn to suffer through.

And we will suffer no more. Not tonight. Not with our only chance to give and receive, to take pleasure and rejoice in the indescribable depths of our love for one another, to release the unbearable tension that fills the air with its electricity that has been contained for far too long, so much so that I thought for certain I would go mad with my want for this stunning creature in my arms now.

Suddenly her hand slips inside my shirt, her fingernails raking against my flesh, finding my nipples and causing the inferno that burns within my core for her to flare even hotter. My head drops to her shoulder and my lips find her neck in response to her passionate touch as I try to regain control once more.

I nip along the creamy column of her neck, my tongue soothing the sting and I can't help but smile against her throat knowing that I am marking her as mine and mine alone. This woman can belong to no other and I will be damned if I will allow another man to take her as their own.

Kahlan will have no mate; she will only have me, her Seeker.

Her fingernails graze against my chest again, causing my breath to hitch and I could so easily fall apart right here before we've really even begun to explore one another. I immediately reach inside my shirt and quickly pull her hand free before I unleash my passion for her and devour her right here.

I whisper in her ear how much I love her. I don't know if she hears me or not as she gasps in response to the feel of my mouth on her ear, my breath brushing against her skin. I take her earlobe into my mouth tugging and sucking and I feel her heart pounding wildly against my chest as she tilts her head allowing me freedom to explore.

And again I greedily accept, my teeth grazing the sensitive skin behind her ear and before I can even think twice, my hands are finding the clasps to her jacket. I work feverishly to free her from all barriers that keep from feeling the soft flesh that she teases me with every time her thighs peek through the slit in her skirt or when she removes her jacket and reveals the gorgeous swell of the tops of her breasts.

Kahlan shrugs the material off of her shoulders and I immediately connect with her mouth, kissing her deeply and savoring her taste before blazing a hot wet trail down her neck to the destination I feel like I have waited a lifetime to reach.

My lips brush along the tops of her partially exposed breasts and I cannot help but groan in exquisite pleasure as my hands kneed the soft flesh of her bottom.

Her hands are in my hair, clutching me even close to her, urging me on and I am frantic to give her all that I have, all that I am for she only deserves the very best.

Kahlan deserves to know true love in its purest form, is entitled to my love above all else for she alone occupies my heart.

She has been through so much in her life already, more than I can possibly comprehend and it hurts me more than she knows. She's been denied love and because of her magic, she's been denied the future that I know that she so desperately wants with me.

But that will not be the case tonight.

I will do everything in my power to make our first time together be better than anything either of us has ever dreamed of and so far it already is and I have yet to be where I most want to be – buried within her sweet hot depths.

Her chest heaves beneath my mouth and it only serves to further arouse the fire already searing through my body and settling into my pelvis.

Her fingers pull my shirt free from my pants and I can barely contain the ecstasy flooding my senses as my hands caress her breasts through the silken cups of her corset. My chest is heaving and I can hardly catch my breath for want of her, every part of her.

I kiss her again and we break only long enough for her to lift my shirt over my head and the realization that she is undressing me just like in my dreams causes a flutter to erupt in the pit of my stomach.

Her scent is intoxicating as it fills my nostrils and floats through my mind. My nose and lips brush along the tops of her breasts as my hands continue their frenzied exploration of her body and I'm once again soaring with the heavenly scent she fills me with.

My lips capture hers as I grab hold of her and press her flush against me. She moans a breathy moan that causes tingles to shiver down my spine and I know she can feel my hardening arousal as I roll my hips against her in thrilling anticipation of what soon will be happening between us.

It's such a sweet, intimate expression of love on the deepest level a man can ever share with a woman and I'm sharing it with my precious Kahlan. She has always trusted me since becoming my Confessor; trusting my judgment, my friendship, my protection of her.

And now, now she is fully trusting me with her love, her heart, her body and it only makes me love her that much more as she opens herself up before me in such an intimate expression that exposes her, making her vulnerable and even more real to me than she has ever been.

And I will never betray her. I would sooner die than hurt this woman that I am about to make love to, this woman who consumes my heart, my mind, my soul and I know that I consume no less of her.

And soon we will share our bodies.

Her hands are roaming over my flesh, stroking my chest before moving to explore my back and she is only feeding the flames that are growing hotter and more intense with every stroke, every gasp, every moan she makes.

Her fingers wander up my back to the nape of my neck. She wraps her fingers around the long strands of my hair as my lips move across her collarbone, my tongue dipping into the indent near her slender neck.

I break away long enough from her to spread out the blanket that had long been forgotten in the midst of our heated embrace. My lips seize hers as I begin to guide her backwards towards the ground. My mouth, my body, my hands follow her until I am lying over her.

My knee instinctively nudges her legs open for me and she eagerly complies with my wishes, causing my heart to almost burst with the thrill of finally, finally being where I want to be – cradled so sweetly between my Kahlan's legs, covering her body with my own, and giving her what I've been dying inside to give to her – myself.

I kiss her again and that alone makes me almost fall apart, that and the knowledge of what we are doing, what we are about to do…me and my Confessor, my best friend, my love, my Kahlan.

My breath comes out in heated pulls for air as I make my way down to her breasts once more, kissing her through the soft material as my hand reaches for her thigh. And her skin is smooth like silk, soft like velvet and the throbbing ache in my breeches is reaching almost unbearable heights.

My mind is racing as she fills every part of my being, my heart hammering as I bend her leg up. I begin to work the laces of her corset, desperate to taste what lies beneath that inviting material, to feel her breasts pressed flush against my chest.

I slip the fabric from her body and I hear her sigh in disappointment as my lips leave hers, but then she gasps loudly, my name a throaty moan on her lips. She arches up into me, her head falling back as my mouth descends on her perfect breast.

And this is pure ecstasy – tasting her, kissing her, loving her the only way I know…with my whole being.

I suck on her breast and she begins to writhe beneath me and I almost come undone right there with the heated response to me. Her fingers dig into my backside and I feel myself growing harder, my need to be surrounded by her rapidly mounting.

I momentarily pause my worship of her body to stare at her breathtaking beauty, the moonlight flooding her features with an ethereal glow and I once again find it difficult to draw a breath as the stars overhead shine brightly in her dark blue eyes.

She immediately leans up, seizing my lips in a searing kiss as she tries to roll us over, but I deny her out of my selfish desire to make this all be about her. This is for her, for her pleasure, for her release.

Kahlan collapses back onto the blanket and I follow her down, my lips never leaving hers. Her nails rake over my back again and I bury my face in her breasts in order to gather my senses as I growl low in my throat, grinding my hips into her.

I frantically begin tugging at her skirt, hooking my fingers in the top of the material, pulling it along with her shorts down her already quivering form. Her hands begin working on the laces of my pants and I almost tremble in heated anticipation of the direction her hand is moving towards.

And then she grips me and it is all I can do to not release right there. I hiss with the contact, my head falling back in pure ecstasy as a growl erupts from my open mouth, the air suddenly vanishing from my lungs.

I immediately find her lips, crushing hers with mine and once again I am left panting even harder for air as my arousal burns hotter than I ever thought possible.

I pull her hand away from me, knowing that I'm already so close to falling over the edge. I brush my nose lovingly against hers, silently telling her that I love her so much but that her touch is too much at that moment.

My fingers skim down her side and over her thigh and I'm touching her wet center that is radiating such heat it causes my blood to burn like fire in my veins, my mouth growing dry in sweet expectation.

She begins to writhe again, the pleasure I am creating within her carrying that much higher, taking me along with her for our hearts are bound as one and soon our bodies will be as well.

I watch with pleasure as her head rolls back, the look of sheer bliss on her face making my heart swell with love, knowing that I alone create such a powerful reaction within her.

Her hands grip my back, clinging to me as if she is afraid of losing control. I lean down, whispering my love for her, letting her know I will not let her fall…not without me.

She relaxes with my words, nodded slightly in acknowledgement and I can't help the smile that touches my lips. I can still barely grasp that this is happening. My beautiful Confessor is lying beneath me and I am touching her in places I have only been allowed to in my dreams.

I brush myself against her and she trembles, her mouth falling open. I slowly ease into her, watching her face for signs of pain. She bites her bottom lip, her brow furrowing and then relaxing.

I thrust deeper and the feeling of her hot wetness surrounding me causes me to pause momentarily for fear of coming undone.

This is real. This is my beloved, my Kahlan…and we are finally, completely one at last.

Her repeated gasps and moans fill my ears as I begin to move within her, stroking her and loving her with all that I am, all of the love I possess in my heart for her.

The sensation of her surrounding me keeps pushing me higher and higher, causing my head to fall into the crook of her neck. Her skin is moist from our lovemaking, sweat trickling down my back from the intense passion I am pouring into my beloved.

Sparks begin to fire in my brain and I am so close to release, but this is about her, not me. This is my one chance to bring her the ultimate pleasure a man can give the woman that he loves and I am determined to give that same pleasure to Kahlan.

The sound of my name becomes a chant dancing on her lips and I can no longer control myself as I lose all control, my body taking over as I move faster and deeper within her, harder than I know that I should but I can't help myself any longer.

And our heated passion is burning so hotly now that I'm sure we'll be consumed in its flames, but if this is my death, I would happily welcome it as I die in her arms this night.

She finally reaches that rapturous precipice and it is pure exhilaration to behold her angelic face, knowing that I was able to bring her to that blissful state. That knowledge and the feeling of her rippling around me sends me flying straight off that cliff along with her.

And we are both falling…falling with the intensity of that sweet release that we've been denied for so long that it causes my heart to break to think of never experiencing this with her again.

But I know with my whole heart that we can be together when she gets her magic back for my love protects me from her touch.

And I relish that day when I can finally convince her that I am immune to her magic.

Exhausted, I collapse on top of her, my body trembling uncontrollably with the intensity of my release and I'm completely enveloped in a cocoon of euphoria as well as my lover's arms.

I begin to wonder if we've made a child and the thought alone brings me inexplicable joy for I have never wanted anything more than this with Kahlan.

And this…this is what true love is. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will marry this woman, will have daughters with her, will build my whole life around her for she is the center of my world.

Regaining some of my strength, I pull back to kiss her face, sweet and tender, letting her know that she is my one true love, that this one chance to be together has meant more than anything in this world to me.

The knowledge that she gave herself so willingly, gave her virtue to me floods my soul with unspeakable love that it causes tears to sting my eyes. I caress her beautiful face, gazing into the liquid depths of her sapphire eyes that I could drown myself in.

"I love you, Kahlan."

I watch as her face beams brightly with my words. Her response is a sweet kiss and that is all that I need to know that she loves me in return.

I pull back to see tears in her eyes and I fear that I have hurt her. I should have been gentler with her, but I allowed my passion for her to take over and I silently curse myself for causing her pain when all I wanted to give her was indescribable pleasure.

I ask her if I hurt her as I cup the side of her face with worry and she shakes her head no, telling me that she just loves me so much. I brush the tears from her cheeks, giving her a soft smile before I roll off of her and onto my back, pulling her over to rest against my chest.

I lovingly kiss the top of her head and I feel her lips graze my chest and I release a contented sigh as sleep quickly pulls at us.

And tonight, I find that our one chance together became my dream come true…

**THE END**


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